markofthebrave | [Action] .009

[Action] .009

[Due to Sokka's unexpected bout of sheer win, Katara has been given the gift of free time and she plans on making the most of it... after she was shooed back to bed due to threats from Sokka that made no sense at all.

First, she wants to check in on Sanji at the Strawhat's House. Then she wants to stop by the school and see if she can register to go once things are back to 'normal.' And... she has an idea that is going to lead her to the weapons shop. Finally, she'll go grocery shopping because they're running low on easy-to-cook things. Maybe she'll even get a chance to stand by the bridge and practice with real waterbending! ...although saving her strength to keep healing Zuko is probably a better idea. She'll probably just stare at the water wistfully and talk to Sona.

If you're around any of these places today, feel free to say 'Hey!' or give her hand, since she's not exactly sure how to do what she wants to do at the smithy or the school.]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Did you? I don't remember. [Her voice turns a little bit wry.] It's been a busy month.

...but Nash, how can someone ceremonially be in an army? Didn't you have to fight?

A ceremonial division of the army. For parades, escorting dignitaries, that sort of thing. [He begins to count the functions on his fingers.] You have to wear a uniform.

[Katara will listen with this look on her face. For someone whose world has been at war for a hundred years, the idea of a purely ceremonial branch of the army seems about as probable as the wings on their backs.]

It's true! Armies are for more than just fighting wars, you know. They also keep the peace. [Also it was the rich kids division. And, uuuh, special forces.]

[Incredulous Katara is incredulous.] Armies keep the peace? You mean like magistrates? [Because any time she's ever seen that the soldiers are corrupt, incompetent, and cruel.]

Sure, like magistrates. Or police officers. In a city of a hundred thousand, there's bound to be a few thieves, right? You could also say it's easier to be at piece when you've got a large army, but that's a bit trickier.

...are the soldiers accountable to anyone? Or do they just get to do what they want?

[She really doesn't want to start thinking about this. Why get upset about something she can't change, in another world?]

No, of course not. Government is always accountable to the governed. The minute that stops, it ceases to be a government. [Not that Harmonia isn't a terrible place full of human rights atrocities, but...]

[She crosses her arms and looks steadily at the bows in front of her.] The only time I've ever seen soldiers 'enforcing the peace' is Fire Nation soldiers in occupied Earth Kingdom villages. They would march around and throw earthbenders in prison just for bending, threaten people with burning down their shops just to take whatever money they earned. They kept the village in a constant state of fear and hopelessness.

I'm glad it's not the same thing.

Do you think Fire Nation soldiers act the same in the Fire Nation?

[And a pause.]

But no, I'd never abuse a position of authority that way. If I had a position of authority. I was tried for treason, once, though. Except not so much with the trial part.

[Katara exhales sharply.] I know they do. I've seen it.

[A deep breath, and then she adds.] But not in every city. I've seen that too.

[And then she tilts her head to look at him and gives him a small smile.] But don't get me wrong - I wasn't accusing you. I was just surprised.

...so did you do it?

Commit treason? I guess it depends on your definition.

[Yay, a story!] What happened?

Sometimes I follow my conscience instead of my country. But in this case, it was just a political squabble. One faction rose to power, decided it didn't much like my family. Hence the treason.

[That makes so much of no sense to Katara at all.]

...so they accused you of treason because they didn't like you? That's terrible!

Well, they unaccused me, later.

...How can you unaccuse someone?

[Your world makes no sense.]

It's called dropping the charges.

[Her lips twitch up as she's suddenly reminded of Aang's 'trial.' It wasn't funny at the time, but in comparison...]

I think I'm beginning to get the picture of what living in your country might be like.

[Because it seems to make just as much sense as deciding punishments by spinning a giant wheel.]

Hah hah. I think you actually need to visit to get a clear picture. Anyway, my experiences aren't really typical.

[She laughs.] I think I'll pass, Nash. Your world sounds way too complicated for me. And that's only one country! Are all the countries like yours?

Not at all. They're only a little bit like each other. So what brings you to the weapon shop?

Edited 2010-03-17 05:45 (UTC)

Who, me? Oh, I'm just... looking around.

[She so utterly fails at looking innocent.]

Looking for nothing in particular? Or nothing, in particular?

[Fortunately, she has years of speaking with Sokka to interpret that.

...and yes, okay, he's Sokka's friend but he was also in an army and it is Sokka's weapon shop so he'll probably find out she was here anyway.]

I'm a waterbender. That's how I was trained to fight. But in this place, how strong my ability is, how useful I can be... depends on the Malnosso. If they chose to take my bending away... [Or if she returned from a mallynapping like Toph...]

So I thought I would come down here and take a look at what other options there are.

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